SA Fashion Week: creating classics

At the peak of the pandemic, fashion fundis responded to the dire love affair many had with athleisure and sleepwear by toning down their closets. Calls to embrace sustainability saw moves towards minimalism while many designers looked to their heritage.

Meanwhile, microtrend-lovers brought back soft luxury as a response to mass-consumed products that often feature print-heavy pieces that are forgotten two weeks into their fast fashion cycle.

Local designers at South African Fashion Week shared the sentiment with relaxed silhouettes and a monochromatic palette that was not only their way of creating classics but also embodying strength.

Black Coffee

The Black Coffee brand showed a collection that included timeless pieces wearable as separates. But this is not to say it is without the sculptural silhouettes beloved by South Africans and favoured by the brand’s creative director, Jacques van der Watt. The silkscreened fabric is loosely inspired by mid-century textile design.

Viviers Studio

As part of the Fashion Bridges programme by South African Fashion Week in collaboration with The Italian Trade Agency and others, this becomes a momentous debut for Viviers. The collection, titled “Land of Thirst”, brings the Karoo to life in an array of earthy tones and textured fabrics mimicking the fauna and flora that inspired the designer.

Federico Cina

While Viviers Studio represented South Africa, it was Federico Cina who would carry the torch for Italy. The designer followed in the footsteps of last year’s showcase by Drome that stole the show, wowing attendees with a dystopian collection. Knitwear dominated while snap buttons allowed boxy fits to transform into sexy deconstructed pieces.

Sipho Mbuto

Art meets architecture in the work of Sipho Mbuto, something that cannot be denied in this recent collection comprising kaftans, kimonos and linens that honour the designer’s love for transitional pieces. The show was titled Ekhaya, which is isiZulu for home. Mbuto aimed to capture the comforts of home through silhouettes and fabrics that resemble pinafores worn by women as well as the oversized clothes he inherited from his grandfather.

Fikile Sokhulu

No stranger to playing with romantic details and design, Fikile Sokhulu looked to the Abrus tree this season, where her palette blossomed from the red and black seeds it produces. The circular shapes seen in a number of items were taken from the pods that hold the seeds while the simple colours were meant to capture the flowering plant’s strength.